The Iron Claw

I begin this review first with quick praise to our leading men Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Harris Dickinson—all of whom bulked up significantly in preparation for this film. I'm always impressed by the dedication to the craft of acting that is required for body transformations of this degree. Iron Claw by no means left me disappointed in that regard.

This film has a lot to say about what it means to be a man. Iron Claw is the story of the four (or five) Von Erich brothers and their overbearing father who dreams of successful pro wrestling careers for his sons. Yet it is immediately apparent to the viewer that this father's ambitions for his family are not as admirable as they might seem, as he ingrains in his sons the all-importance of winning and the value of physical strength. He teaches them that to be a successful man, one must never be vulnerable, must always put on a stoic face, and must be the strongest in the room without fail. What better sport to instruct them in these values than professional wrestling?

Spoiler alert! Only one of the Von Erich brothers makes it to the end of the film alive. A combination of overexertion, failure to reach success, and—in our most tragic case—the emptiness of success causes the other three Von Erich brothers to die or take their own lives. Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron), while never reaching the professional highs or the devastating lows of his brothers, becomes the only one in the Von Erich family who really understood what it means to be manly.

Easily the most compelling aspect of the film, Kevin's arc was what struck me the most. He begins, as all the brothers do, by buying into these very traditional notions of masculinity taught by their father and even sees some preliminary success in his pro wrestling career as a result. But it isn't to last as his family undergoes tragedy after tragedy: his brothers passing away one by one. He sees firsthand what comes from the failure-is-not-an-option mentality of the Von Erichs and finally makes the decision to distance himself from the world of pro wrestling and his tumultuous relationship with his father.

Of course there was a time where being the toughest, the meanest, and the strongest were quite possibly the most important qualities a man could have. But Iron Claw shows us that in a modern society like ours today, these ideas are beyond outdated. Emotional vulnerability, caring for those you love, and figuring out what is right for yourself are qualities that have become far more meaningful—as Kevin Von Erich discovers at the end of the film. His ultimate decision to provide for his family by selling the gym—his only remaining tie to the world of wrestling and the world of his father—was the manliest thing he could have done. Kevin becomes a loving and compassionate husband and father, serving as a shining example of what it means to be a strong man in a film that is otherwise a cautionary tale highlighting the importance of raising young men correctly.